Rotary sprinkler head

ABSTRACT

A rotary sprinkler head for underground installation with pop-up nozzle and improved ball-impact type of motor including a highbuoyancy plastic motor chamber having a hemispherically curved ball race to fit substantially a half or the hemisphere of the driving ball for maximal and uniform drive and wear. A novel throttle means permits adjustment by screw-driver turning of the nozzle without removal or entry into the head, and means is provided whereby the nozzle can be freed from stuck condition by similar turning of the nozzle. Self-scavenging means is provided for the shrouded type of nozzle to continuously flush out sand and sludge. Novel water jet means provides a pulsed spray.

United States Patent 1191 Ray [451 Nov. 13, 1973 [54] ROTARY SPRINKLERHEAD Primary Examiner-Robert S. Ward, Jr. [76] Inventor: Harry EdwardRay, 3244 Mel Ave., Attorney-Canard Llvmgswn A21. 0 Le.Y, LNsv-i 0 [22]Filed: June 22, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] A N 265,348 A rotary sprinklerhead for underground installation with pop-up nozzle and improvedball-impact type of motor including a high-buoyancy plastic motor cham-52 us. c1 239/206, 239/230 her having a hemispherically curved ball raceto i 51 1111. C1 B05b 3/04, B05b 15/10 Substantially a half or thehemisphere of the driving [58] Field of Search 239/204, 205, 206, ballfor maximal and uniform drive and wear- A novel 239/230 203 throttlemeans permits adjustment by screw-driver turning of the nozzle withoutremoval or entry into the head, and means is provided whereby the nozzlecan [56] References C'ted be freed from stuck condition by similarturning of the UNITED STATES PATENTS nozzle. Self-scavenging means isprovided for the 3,463,401 8/1969 Cobigo 239/206 x Shrouded y of nozzleto Continuously flush out Sand 3,627,205 12/1971 Hea1y..... 239/230 Xand sludge. Novel water jet means provides a pulsed 3,666,181 5/1972Healy 239/230 X spray.

19 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures ROTARY SPRINKLER HEAD Sprinkler heads ofthe class described utilize a variety of pressure-reactive and impactmotor arrangements to cause rotation or oscillation of a nozzle, andnumbers of these devices employ an impact ball driven by movement of thewater toward the nozzle to supply an intermittent thrust jogging thenozzle'means in rotary action.

A critical problem with such devices is motor failure and malfunctiondue, for example, to loss of driving power, jamming and foulingresulting from. corrosion and abrasion caused by grit, sediments, mudand chemical action and general exposure to the elements in theenvironment in which'such devices must operate at all times, andparticularly during seasonal lay-up periods.

The structural nature of such sprinkler heads commonly requires removalof the entire unit from the ground, or at the least removal of a coveror housing member, in order to gain access to the motor components or toeffect speed adjustments or free. a stalled motor.

The improvements afforded by the present disclosures are especiallycharacterized in that the movable nozzle component is formed as anintegral part of the motor unit from a non-metallic moldable plasticmaterial, and rotates within a similarly molded head body or housing,the motor body being shiftable along a vertical axis and' also rotatableabout such axis, the interior of the motor structure being conformed toprovide a circular chamber defining a circuitous wide-arc ball racewaywhich initially has the same radius of curvature as the ball and tendsto wear in a manner to maintain this curvature with resultantelimination of one of the causes of loss of driving power and uniformmotion.

Another feature of improvement is the provision of a water by-passingthrottle means which is adjustable to change the motor speed by use of ascrew driver applied externally to the tip of the nozzleat ground level,thus obviating entry into, or removal of the head for such purposes. v i

Still another'feature is the simplification which eliminates complexmoving parts and heavy constructions of a type which have characterizedprior devices of this class with the result that an expendible motor isprovided such that when inevitable wear requires replacementorcomparable servicing, the, entire plastic nozzle and motor unit can bethrown away and economically replaced by a new motor, the disclosedconstructions further making it possible in this connection to utilizethe advantages of the motor also with" removable bronze or like metalnozzles where these are desired.

Yet another feature is the provision in the shrouded form of nozzle ofself-scavenging means for washing out sand and like contaminants whichcause jamming.

The water motor is of such simplified character and utility as to beadaptable to numerous other applications.

Further objects and aspects of novelty and utility will appear from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the devicetaken inview of the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, to reduced scale, showing a complete headunit;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of one form of the head with partsshown in elevation;

FIG. 2-A is a perspective detail of a removable nozzle and shroudassembly; FIG. 2-B is a cross-section of the same;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of the motor unit for use with removablenozzles;

FIG. 4 is a plan view looking down toward the bottom and floor of themotor chamber, the scale being reduced over FIG. 3;

FIG. 4-A is a perspective detail of the control vane or throttle;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the motor unit of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the throttle holding means looking down ontothe bottom and floor of the outer housing body; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical section like that of FIG. 2 depicting amodifiedform of nozzle as an integral conformation of part of the motorstructure.

As depicted in FIG. 1, the sprinkler head comprises a molded plasticouter body or housing 10 adapted to be buried with its top cover plate11 substantially flush with the ground, said plate having a centralopening for emergence, as in dotted lines, of a nozzle structure 12. Aninternally threaded pipe-coupling nipple 13 is formed at the bottom ofthe housing (FIG. 2 also) for connection with the usual waterdistributing network employed in lawn sprinkling and ground wateringinstallations.

The head cover plate is removably seated upon and secured to the topflange on. the housing by screws 15, and is provided with a Nylon orlike bushing 16 in the central opening which guides the nozzle means 12in its vertical shifting and rotative movements, said nozzle meanshaving a screw slot 18 formed across its upper end.

In the construction of FIG. 2 the nozzle is removably carried by themotor and is of the metallic type, preferably brass, having a threadedfoot 12F engaging in the internally threaded nipple 38A of a plasticcover plate 38 for the chamber of the motor unit, this type of rotatingnozzle being intended to throw a full 360 spray pat-v tern from orifices17 adjacent its upper end, in contrast to the zoned nozzle depicted inFIG. 2-A which additionally includes a stationary hood ,or shroud tube19 loosely fitting about, and captured in;knowri manner with the nozzleelement 12 but prevented from turning with the latter by the known meansof a verticallyextending outer keyway 19A thereon which will engage abushing which will be substituted for the bushing 16. A window 213 ofdesired angular extent at the top of "the stationary shroud confines thespray to desired zone ranges of 45, 60, etc. Thus, the motor unit ofFIGS. 2 and-3 can accept desired types of removable nozzle adapted forthreaded mounting.

As depicted in FIG. 28, the shrouded or baffled nozzle means is providedwith selflscavenging means including the formation in the mid-region ofthe nozzle body of an area of reduced outer diameter tocreate a flushingzone 24, theremaining opposite end portions of the nozzle body which areof the original diameter forming spaced peripheral bearing areas 25 withclearance to the shroud tub e sufficient to permit the pistonlike riseof'the nozzle therein in pop-up'action due to the pressure in the waterline. The scavenging means is completed by provision of a flushing slot26 in the upper bearing surface communicating from the flushing zoneback to the sprayend of the nozzle, the action being such that, as thenozzle rotates within the shroud tube, a certain amount of watercontinually works back into the reduced-diameter flushing zone 24, andcreates sufficient agitation and current to continually wash sand andother sludge-forming contaminants out through the slot 26 for ejectionwith the sprayed water.

Nozzles of the zoned sprayor shrouded-type are particularly prone toseizure and sticking due to mud and gritty, silty material in the water,or collecting in the head body from the surrounding ground during idleperiods, and the described scavenging means affords an effective remedyfor preventing seizure from both causes. a

As viewed in FIG. 3, the motor housing comprises a non-metallic body 30of circular configuration providing an open-topped chamber 31; formedalong the conjunction of its bottom wall and floor 32 with thesurrounding side wall 33, is a circular ball race 34 for the drivingball 35 which will have a particular desired diameter, for example,7/16ths inch, it beinga characteristic of this race that it has anextensive angular or rounded cross section with a radius of curvature at34 which is initially (i.e., in production) the same as that of thedriving ball so that the ball tends to nest closely over a maximal arcof contact on its surface with the contour of the race and therebyafford a good driving seal for minimal by-passing of the incoming waterjet current entering at one side of the chamber above this race, as willappear.

The motor body or chamber 31 and its cover structure 38 are molded froma synthetic material such as Nylon which will afford good bearing andabrasionresistive qualities, it being understood that such ball impactmotors, including those having bronze bodies, suffer inevitable wear inthe ball track due to abrasive content of the water from the servicemains and environmental grit which works into the heads constantly withthe experience that prior types of ball impact motor soon loseefficiency, stall easily or fail altogether as the result of wear alongthe usual ball course, with consequent increasing by-passing of thewater and decrease in driving force a conditionwhich is largelyalleviated by the disclosed arcuate widetrack construction which notonly provides increased drive, but tends to maintain a good wide-arcsealing track for the life of the material of which the ball chamber ismade.

Situated along the ball race at an elevation above the floor is animpact structure or anvil means 40, FIG. 4, consisting of an elongatedand slightly arcuate length of steel which may be hardened at the impactend and is provided at this point with a bevel 41 conformably to thecurvature of the ball by which it is intermittently struck, the anvilstrip being spaced from the side wall of the chamber by an integral land42 projecting therefrom and formed to provide a seating notch 42A suchthat the anvil strip can be held by a single rivet 43 with its impactend projecting beyond and spaced from the wall for impact by the ball ata point close to the entry of the water by the jet means to bedescribed.

Means effecting intermittent jet-type drive of the nozzle-carrying ballchamber includes the provision of a jet orifice 45, FIG..5, situated inthe angled face 46 of an integrally molded projection of the top of thecover plate 38 such that water entering the housing or head body underpressure from the head inlet nipple 13 is directed into the motorchamber with a downward pitch emerging at a point overlying the ballrace, preferably just above the impact end 41 of the anvil strip, toflow in the direction of movement of the ball (counterclockwise, FIG.4). This contrivance results in optimized drive and spray-pulsing actionbecause the ball hesitates momentarily on striking the anvil at 41 andblocks the driving water entering from orifice 45 briefly until themotor housing turns as the result of the impact, thus desirably pulsingor modulating the spray in addition to advancing the entire motor andnozzle assembly. The cover 38 is formed to fit tight with the rim of 39,motor chamber and is secured by a single screw 35, FIG. 5.

A feature of importance seen in FIG. 3 particularly (and included in themodified construction of FIG. 7) is a pendant baffle extension 21 or 21Xof the nozzle nipple to provide an anti-stall means extending downwardlyinto the chamber a considerable distance to a level approximately at theequator of the ball to prevent the latter from being pulled intoblocking relationship to the current entering the nozzle, the molding ofthe cover structure for both the removable and integrally conformedtypes of nozzle being particularly economical and advantageous in thisconnection.

Situated diametrically across the inlet to the nozzle passage in thependant ball baffle, FIG. 3, is a thin antiturbulence web 14 which maybe an insert or an integrally molded component and serves to preventundesirable turbulence in the flow.

The cadence and throw of the spray can be sensi tively controlled bymeans of a lightweight throttle vane 50, preferably of thin brass stockhaving a curvilinear configuration such as depicted in dotted lines inFIG. 4 and in perspective in FIG. 4-A, with a pivot bore 51 turningabout an integral pivot stud 52, FIG. 3, depending centrally from thebottom of the ball chamber against which it is frictionally held by asmall cinch washer 53, FIG. 4, seized upon the stud. A stop finger 54projects from one side of the vane for range-limiting movement between apair of stop bosses 55 also integrally depending from said chamberbottom eccentrically of the pivot stud so as to limit the arcuate travelof the vane between fully open and fully closed throttle positions withrespect to a throttle by-pass hole 58 in the bottom of the chamber, thefully-closed condition being shown in FIG. 4. A smaller relief passage59 is also provided in the chamber floor adjacent the throttle openingand is always open to relieve back pressure conditions within thechamber, prevent stalling of the ball at slowest speeds, and fordrainage during lay-up.

Means making it possible to adjust the throttle exteriorly of the headby simply turning the nozzle comprises the provision of a circular arrayof stud-like holding bosses 60, FIGS. 2, and 6, projecting upwardlytoward the bottom of the motor chamber from the inlet in the outerhousing body and preferably formed as part of the head body at the upperend of the water inlet nipple, FIGS. 6 and 7. The small pendant couplinglug 56, FIGS. 3, 4-A and 7, is struck down from an edge of the throttlevane 50 in a manner to lie in between any pair of the holding bosses 60when the motor unit or chamber is in lowered condition, as in FIGS. 2and 7, so that exertion of a turning force, as by application of ascrewdriver to the nozzle slot 18, will turn the entire motor unitrelative to the throttle vane since the latter is held stationary by thelug and boss means 56, 60.

The installation and operation of the described devices in the usualsprinkling system is such that each unit is buried in the ground withthe top plate and nozzle opening of the housing substantially at theground level, suitable connections (not illustrated) being made withtheusual water distributing network. When the water is turned off, theentire motor unit 30 drops to the floor of the cavity of the housingbody to the fullline position shown in FIG. 2; but when the pressure isturned on, the water rising in the housing from inlet 13 easily elevatesthe buoyantly constructed motor, a small volume of water entering thechamber via the throttle and relief holes 58 and 59 and the remainderentering the jet orifice 45 to fill the chamber and rise into thenozzle, which will afford a sufficient resistance to maintain a currentin the chamber from the jet orifice so that the ball is continuouslydriven forward with each jogging advance of the motor housing by impactof the ball with the anvil.

In addition to other described advantages, therelatively slight mass ofthe plastic motor structure plus the closed-chamber construction,affords a high degree of buoyancy which facilitates quick elevation ofthe motor and the nozzle unit and practically eliminates hang-up whenthe water pressure drops from the expected average pressures in themains or when sludge and grit have seized the nozzle a condition whichthe power of the improved ball drive will generally relieve when theline pressure is normal, but which can be very easily relieved in anyevent by one or two turns on the nozzle by the screwdriver manipulationdescribed, so that servicing entries into the head are infrequentlyrequired and to replace a worn out motor it is merely necessary toremove the cover plate and drop in a new unit.

As a further utility, the modified motor unit shown in P16. 7 providesastill more economical construction wherein expensively machined metalnozzle components are replaced by a nozzle 12X which is integrallyconformed with the plastic cover structure 38X in alignment with apendant throat or ball baffie extension 21X. The upper end of theintegral nozzle is closed except for a small relief passage 22X (similarto a like passage 22, FIG. 2), communicating through the screwdriverslot 18X, together with suitable spray orifices 17X, as intheconstruction of FIG. 2. in addition, the

cover plate 11X may also'be a molded plastic component, with either aseparate or integral nozzle bushing 16X, the separate form being shown.

In all other respects the construction and operation of the modifiedembodiment is identical to that previously described, including thethrottle means, ball chamber and anvil means, the advantages ofexpendability beingfurther enhanced in that it is unnecessary to removeany metal nozzle parts for throw-away purposes, it being understood thatthe satisfactory operating life of such devices will be eventuallyterminated by inevitable wear from the harsh abrasive and environmentalfactors inherent in the operation of such systems, it beingtheexperience, for example, that impact balls will ultimately wear throughbronze bodies if the units do not fail from other causes long beforethat condition is reached, as by loss of driving power due to irregulartracking wear in ball-type motors, as constrasted with theself-compensating tracking wear which characterizes the presentimprovements.

I claim:

1. In a sprinkler head of the type having a head body adapted forconnection with a source of water under pressure and a spray nozzlerotatable and shiftable through the top thereof, together with waterpowered motor means for rotating and shifting the nozzle, improvementscomprising, namely: a motor body adapted to rotate and shift verticallyrelative to an axis through the top of the head body and having a bottomand surrounding side wall and top portions defining a substantiallyclosed motor chamber; a driving ball of predetermined diameter in saidchamber; nozzle means carried by said top portion and communicating intoa central region of said chamber; means in the top of said head bodyguiding said nozzle means in rotative and shifting action relative tothe axis aforesaid; said chamber having a ball race circumambient ofsaid central region and of curvilinear cross-section which hassubstantially the same radius of curvature as the ball; means providinga water jet inlet to said chamber through said top portion of the motorbody serving to create therein a balldriving current of the waterpassing therethrough from the head body into and through the nozzlemeans and effective to travel the 'ball in said race; and impact meanssituated at a position relative to said race to be struck by thetravelled ball and thereby effect rotative advance of the motor bodywith consequent rotative displacement of the nozzle means carriedthereby.

2. A construction according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle means is anelongated cylindrical member integrally'conformed with said top portionof the motor V 3. A construction according to claim 1 wherein saidnozzle means includes a shroud removably carried by said top portion ofthe motor body and having a bore within which a nozzle body is rotatableabout and shiftable along said axis within the shroud and has adischarge end communicating through the shroud.

4. Improvements according to claim 3.wherein the nozzle means isself-scavenging, the said nozzle body having near opposite inlet anddischarge end portions thereof circumambient bearing areas rotatably andshiftably fitting with the said interior bore of the shroud for movementas aforesaid, and said nozzle body has between said bearing areas acircumambientareaof reduced diameter constituting a flushing zone,together with a flushing passage communicating through that one of thebearing areas which is closest to the discharge end portions of the.nozzle body. 7

5. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said motor body isformed of synthetic plastic material, said top portion thereof isremovably attached thereto as a closure for said chamber, and saidnozzle means is integrally conformed with said top portion.

6. Sprinkler head apparatus according to claim 1 further characterizedby the provision of throttle means including a throttle passage throughsaid bottom of the motor body from said chamber, a throttle membermounted on said bottom for movement relative to said passage to closeand open the same; first coupling means on a bottom portion of said headbody in juxta position with said throttle member, second coupling meanson the throttle member cooperative with said first coupling means in apredetermined shifted condition of the motor body such that rotativemovement of said body in that condition in opposite directions willcorrespondingly effect opening or closing movement of the throttlemember.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first coupling means isarranged concentrically about said axis and said second coupling meansis situated relative to said axis such that rotative effort applied tothe discharge end of said nozzle means will effect rotative movement ofthe motor'body in said predetermined shifted condition thereof wherebyto effect opening and closing movement of the throttle member, saiddischarge end of the nozzle means being provided with a tool-receivingformation substantially aligned with said axis to facilitate applicationof rotative effort as and for the purpose aforesaid.

8. Sprinkler head apparatus as set out in claim 1 further characterizedin that said jet passage has a discharge outlet situated above and insuch close proximity to said ball race that said current will beinterrupted by the ball in travel as aforesaid whereby to effect apulsed modulation of the water spray from the nozzle means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said ball race is formed toextend from said bottom into said side wall and top portions along anarc which is very nearly coextensive with the arc of the hemisphere ofthe ball, the radius of curvature of said race arc being slightlylengthened at the terminal end thereof which is contiguous with said topportion of the motor body such that said ball can fit closely into therace without being trapped therein against sidewise displacementtherefrom as on striking said impact means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the arc of said ball raceextends upwardly along said sidewall portion from said bottom to aterminal point closely proximate to said jet discharge outlet, the ballbeing free to move sidewise from the race at all points therealong.

11. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said impact meansincludes an anvil member situated along the race and having an impactend portion disposed inwardly of the chamber away from said side wallportion at an elevation to be struck by the ball travelled in the raceas aforesid.

12. A construction according to claim 11 wherein said anvil is ametallic strip secured to the side wall portion of the chamber in thesituation aforesaid, anend portion of said strip constituting saidimpact end and being provided with a ball-engaging bevel angled todeflect the ball sidewise from the race generally toward said axis.

13. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle means hasan inlet in a pendant foot portion thereof extending centrally down intosaid chamber to a level spaced from said bottom a distance substantiallyless than the diameter of said ball and constituting a baffle preventingthe ball from being drawn into blocking relationship to said inlet.

14. In a rotary sprinkling head driven by water pressure: a head bodyhaving a motor cavity with water inlet means; means providing a nozzlepassage aligned with a vertical axis through a top portion of such body;a motor body fitting freely into said cavity for rotation about andreciprocation along said axis, and having a chamber with an inletreceiving water under pressure from said cavity, together with nozzlemeans carried by the motor body and movable relative to said nozzlepassage inwardly and outwardly of the head cavity responsive to waterpressure acting therein on said motor body, water from the cavitypassing through said motor body and being discharged through said nozzlemeans; motor means in the motor body reactive to water movement thereinbetween said inlet and nozzle means whereby to impart rotative movementto the motor body and nozzle means carried thereby; and throttle meanscomprising a throttle passage through said motor body; a throttle membermovable relative to said throttle passage to open and close the same;first coupling means operatively associated with said throttle means;second coupling means operatively associated with said head body; thesaid coupling means being disposed in mutual coupling relation when themotor body is disposed in a predetermined shifted position along saidaxis such that a turning movement applied to the motor body in suchposition will impart opening or closing movement to the throttle memberdepending upon the direction of turning of the motor body.

15. A sprinkling device according to claim 14 wherein said first andsecond coupling means are arranged and constructed in relation to saidaxis such that the required turning moment can be applied to said nozzlemeans to impart throttle-adjusting movement to the throttle member.

16. The construction of claim 15 further characterized in that an endportion of said nozzle means exposed through said nozzle passage isprovided with a screw-driver slot to facilitate the application ofturning moment for throttle adjustment as aforesaid.

17. In a water-pressure motor device, outer and inner body members eachhaving a water chamber, said inner body member being disposed to rotatewithin said outer body member; means admitting water under pressure tothe chamber of the outer body member; means admitting water from thechamber of the outer body member into the chamber of the inner bodymember; means providing a water discharge path from the chamber of theinner body member to the exterior of the outer body member; the chamberof the inner body member having a ball race extending circuitously aboutthe axis of rotation of the inner body member; a driving ball of givendiameter adapted to travel along said race responsive to water flowthrough the appertaining chamber, said race having a curvilinear profilesubstantially coextensive with the hemispherical arc of said ball sothat the ball fits closely therein; and impact means situated at a pointalong said race to be struck by the ball and deflect the latter forcontinuing circulation and repetitious impacting whereby to impartintermittent turning force to rotate the inner body.

18. The device of claim 17 further characterized by the provision ofthrottle means for regulating the flow of water through the chamber ofthe inner body member, said means comprising a throttle member movablerelative to the means for admitting water to said lastmentioned chamberto govern the amount of water admitted thereby, together with relativelystationary means carried by the outer body member coupling with saidthrottle member in a certain position of the inner body member such thatrotative motion imparted to the inner body member will cause acorresponding regulatory movement of the throttle member.

19. In a water-driven device of the ball impact type, motor meansincluding a body having means for inlet and egress of water underpressure to create a balldriving current therethrough; said bodyincluding a circuitous ball race; a driving ball adapted to travel insaid race responsive to said current; impact means disposed along saidrace to be struck by the travelled ball to produce a motor reaction;said race having a curvilinear cross section of substantially the sameradius of curvature as the ball and extending through an arc which isaround the ball while permitting the ball to move in a substantiallyequal to the length of the hemispherical direction laterally out of therace under certain condiarc of the ball so that the ball fits into saidrace closely tions.

whereby to reduce by-passing of said driving current UNITED sums PATENTOFFICE CER'1]IICATE 0F commoner:

Patent NO. 3, 771, 72 Dated November 13; 1973 Inventor Harry Edward RayIt is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby eerrected as shown below:

Column L line 11, "39, should read --the--; line 12, 35" should. read--39 Column 5, 11116 1m, "11x" should read .--38X--; and lines 1 62,"constrasted" should read.

eentrasted-u,

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of April 19m.

(sdAL) Attest:

LEDI'JARD 1" FLETGHER,JR. C, MARSHALL DANN Commissioner. of. Patents.

Attesting Office?

1. In a sprinkler head of the type having a head body adapted forconnection with a source of water under pressure and a spray nozzlerotatable and shiftable through the top thereof, together with waterpowered motor means for rotating and shifting the nozzle, improvementscomprising, namely: a motor body adapted to rotate and shift verticallyrelative to an axis through the top of the head body and having a bottomand surrounding side wall and top portions defining a substantiallyclosed motor chamber; a driving ball of predetermined diameter in saidchamber; nozzle means carried by said top portion and communicating intoa central region of said chamber; means in the top of said head bodyguiding said nozzle means in rotative and shifting action relative tothe axis aforesaid; said chamber having a ball race circumambient ofsaid central region and of curvilinear crosssection which hassubstantially the same radius of curvature as the ball; means providinga water jet inlet to said chamber through said top portion of the motorbody serving to create therein a ball-driving current of the waterpassing therethrough from the head body into and through the nozzlemeans and effective to travel the ball in said race; and impact meanssituated at a position relative to said race to be struck by thetravelled ball and thereby effect rotative advance of the motor bodywith consequent rotative displacement of the nozzle means carriedthereby.
 2. A construction according to claim 1 wherein said nozzlemeans is an elongated cylindrical member integrally conformed with saidtop portion of the motor body.
 3. A construction according to claim 1wherein said nozzle means includes a shroud removably carried by saidtop portion of the motor body and having a bore within whIch a nozzlebody is rotatable about and shiftable along said axis within the shroudand has a discharge end communicating through the shroud. 4.Improvements according to claim 3 wherein the nozzle means isself-scavenging, the said nozzle body having near opposite inlet anddischarge end portions thereof circumambient bearing areas rotatably andshiftably fitting with the said interior bore of the shroud for movementas aforesaid, and said nozzle body has between said bearing areas acircumambient area of reduced diameter constituting a flushing zone,together with a flushing passage communicating through that one of thebearing areas which is closest to the discharge end portions of thenozzle body.
 5. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said motorbody is formed of synthetic plastic material, said top portion thereofis removably attached thereto as a closure for said chamber, and saidnozzle means is integrally conformed with said top portion.
 6. Sprinklerhead apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized by theprovision of throttle means including a throttle passage through saidbottom of the motor body from said chamber, a throttle member mounted onsaid bottom for movement relative to said passage to close and open thesame; first coupling means on a bottom portion of said head body injuxtaposition with said throttle member, second coupling means on thethrottle member cooperative with said first coupling means in apredetermined shifted condition of the motor body such that rotativemovement of said body in that condition in opposite directions willcorrespondingly effect opening or closing movement of the throttlemember.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first couplingmeans is arranged concentrically about said axis and said secondcoupling means is situated relative to said axis such that rotativeeffort applied to the discharge end of said nozzle means will effectrotative movement of the motor body in said predetermined shiftedcondition thereof whereby to effect opening and closing movement of thethrottle member, said discharge end of the nozzle means being providedwith a tool-receiving formation substantially aligned with said axis tofacilitate application of rotative effort as and for the purposeaforesaid.
 8. Sprinkler head apparatus as set out in claim 1 furthercharacterized in that said jet passage has a discharge outlet situatedabove and in such close proximity to said ball race that said currentwill be interrupted by the ball in travel as aforesaid whereby to effecta pulsed modulation of the water spray from the nozzle means. 9.Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said ball race is formed toextend from said bottom into said side wall and top portions along anarc which is very nearly coextensive with the arc of the hemisphere ofthe ball, the radius of curvature of said race arc being slightlylengthened at the terminal end thereof which is contiguous with said topportion of the motor body such that said ball can fit closely into therace without being trapped therein against sidewise displacementtherefrom as on striking said impact means.
 10. Apparatus according toclaim 8 wherein the arc of said ball race extends upwardly along saidsidewall portion from said bottom to a terminal point closely proximateto said jet discharge outlet, the ball being free to move sidewise fromthe race at all points therealong.
 11. A sprinkler head according toclaim 1 wherein said impact means includes an anvil member situatedalong the race and having an impact end portion disposed inwardly of thechamber away from said side wall portion at an elevation to be struck bythe ball travelled in the race as aforesid.
 12. A construction accordingto claim 11 wherein said anvil is a metallic strip secured to the sidewall portion of the chamber in the situation aforesaid, an end portionof said strip constituting said impact end and being provided with aball-engaging bevel angled to deflect the ball sidewise From the racegenerally toward said axis.
 13. A sprinkler head according to claim 1wherein said nozzle means has an inlet in a pendant foot portion thereofextending centrally down into said chamber to a level spaced from saidbottom a distance substantially less than the diameter of said ball andconstituting a baffle preventing the ball from being drawn into blockingrelationship to said inlet.
 14. In a rotary sprinkling head driven bywater pressure: a head body having a motor cavity with water inletmeans; means providing a nozzle passage aligned with a vertical axisthrough a top portion of such body; a motor body fitting freely intosaid cavity for rotation about and reciprocation along said axis, andhaving a chamber with an inlet receiving water under pressure from saidcavity, together with nozzle means carried by the motor body and movablerelative to said nozzle passage inwardly and outwardly of the headcavity responsive to water pressure acting therein on said motor body,water from the cavity passing through said motor body and beingdischarged through said nozzle means; motor means in the motor bodyreactive to water movement therein between said inlet and nozzle meanswhereby to impart rotative movement to the motor body and nozzle meanscarried thereby; and throttle means comprising a throttle passagethrough said motor body; a throttle member movable relative to saidthrottle passage to open and close the same; first coupling meansoperatively associated with said throttle means; second coupling meansoperatively associated with said head body; the said coupling meansbeing disposed in mutual coupling relation when the motor body isdisposed in a predetermined shifted position along said axis such that aturning movement applied to the motor body in such position will impartopening or closing movement to the throttle member depending upon thedirection of turning of the motor body.
 15. A sprinkling deviceaccording to claim 14 wherein said first and second coupling means arearranged and constructed in relation to said axis such that the requiredturning moment can be applied to said nozzle means to impartthrottle-adjusting movement to the throttle member.
 16. The constructionof claim 15 further characterized in that an end portion of said nozzlemeans exposed through said nozzle passage is provided with ascrew-driver slot to facilitate the application of turning moment forthrottle adjustment as aforesaid.
 17. In a water pressure motor device,outer and inner body members each having a water chamber, said innerbody member being disposed to rotate within said outer body member;means admitting water under pressure to the chamber of the outer bodymember; means admitting water from the chamber of the outer body memberinto the chamber of the inner body member; means providing a waterdischarge path from the chamber of the inner body member to the exteriorof the outer body member; the chamber of the inner body member having aball race extending circuitously about the axis of rotation of the innerbody member; a driving ball of given diameter adapted to travel alongsaid race responsive to water flow through the appertaining chamber,said race having a curvilinear profile substantially coextensive withthe hemispherical arc of said ball so that the ball fits closelytherein; and impact means situated at a point along said race to bestruck by the ball and deflect the latter for continuing circulation andrepetitious impacting whereby to impart intermittent turning force torotate the inner body.
 18. The device of claim 17 further characterizedby the provision of throttle means for regulating the flow of waterthrough the chamber of the inner body member, said means comprising athrottle member movable relative to the means for admitting water tosaid last-mentioned chamber to govern the amount of water admittedthereby, together with relatively stationary means carried by the outerbody member coupling with said throttle member in a certain position ofthe inner body member such that rotative motion imparted to the innerbody member will cause a corresponding regulatory movement of thethrottle member.
 19. In a water-driven device of the ball impact type,motor means including a body having means for inlet and egress of waterunder pressure to create a ball-driving current therethrough; said bodyincluding a circuitous ball race; a driving ball adapted to travel insaid race responsive to said current; impact means disposed along saidrace to be struck by the travelled ball to produce a motor reaction;said race having a curvilinear cross section of substantially the sameradius of curvature as the ball and extending through an arc which issubstantially equal to the length of the hemispherical arc of the ballso that the ball fits into said race closely whereby to reduceby-passing of said driving current around the ball while permitting theball to move in a direction laterally out of the race under certainconditions.